Managing Family Conflict

Lesson Overview

Subject: PSHE
Year Group: Year 9
Unit: Navigating Family Dynamics (Lesson 4 of 7)
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 2 students
Curriculum Area: Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education
PSHE Association Programme of Study: Health and Wellbeing / Relationships (Key Stage 3)
Relevant Standards:

• R3: Recognising and managing different types of relationships, including conflict resolution.
• H2: Understanding emotions and managing responses in difficult situations.
• R12: Strategies to manage the influence of strong emotions in relationships.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify common causes of conflict within families and friendships.
2. Understand the emotional responses that arise during conflicts.
3. Explore effective conflict resolution strategies.
4. Practise reflective listening and empathy in scenarios of family disagreement.

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Materials Needed

• Printed Conflict Cards (scenarios based on family and friendship conflicts)
• Emotion Wheel (to help identify emotions in conflict situations)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Two small objects (used for an active listening exercise)
• Exit tickets (small slips of paper for reflective feedback)

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Lesson Structure

Starter Activity (10 mins) – "Emotion Check-In"

1. Discussion Question: "Think of a time you had a disagreement with a family member or friend. How did it make you feel?"
2. Students examine the Emotion Wheel, selecting 3 words that best describe their feelings during a past conflict.
3. Each student shares one emotion aloud, explaining briefly why they chose it. This encourages self-awareness and emotional vocabulary development.

Main Activity 1 (15 mins) – Identifying Conflict Triggers

1. Present five common causes of family conflict:
   • Miscommunication
   • Differences in values or expectations
   • Feeling misunderstood or unheard
   • Jealousy or sibling rivalry
   • External stressors (e.g. school, friendships, social media)
2. Scenario Discussion: Present students with two Conflict Cards (realistic family-based conflict scenarios).
3. For each scenario, students:
   • Identify the possible cause of conflict.
   • Discuss how each person involved might feel.
   • Predict how the conflict might escalate if not managed properly.

Main Activity 2 (20 mins) – Conflict Resolution in Action

1. Active Listening Exercise ("The Talking Object")

   • Students take turns using a small object as a "talking tool."
   • One student explains a minor disagreement they have had, while holding the object.
   • The second student listens without interrupting, then repeats back what they heard, ensuring they understand the perspective ("So what you're saying is…").
   • Swap roles and reflect on how listening carefully changes the conversation.

2. "What Would You Say?" Roleplay

   • Teacher presents a heated argument scenario (e.g., "You feel your sibling gets more freedom than you").
   • Students work together to rewrite the conversation using empathetic language and conflict-resolution skills.
   • Encourage the use of "I" statements (e.g., "I feel frustrated when…") rather than blaming statements ("You always…").
   • Compare how the conversation outcomes change when different responses are used.

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Plenary (10 mins) – Reflection and Exit Ticket

1. Quick-fire discussion:
   • "What is one new thing you've learnt about conflict today?"
   • "How could you apply today’s lesson at home or with friends?"
2. Exit Ticket: Each student writes their response to:
   • "One action I will take the next time I experience a conflict is…"

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Assessment and Differentiation

Assessment:

• Verbal participation in discussion activities.
• Reflective listening exercise (teacher informally assesses active listening skills).
• Roleplaying exercise (students demonstrate application of resolution strategies).
• Exit ticket reflections.

Differentiation for Small Group (2 Students):

• By having only two students, ensure deeper discussion by allowing each to share more personal experiences.
• Offer tailored support with emotion identification (some might struggle with articulating emotions).
• Adapt roleplay appropriately to individual comfort levels (use "what would you say?" instead of forcing a dramatic reenactment).

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Teacher Notes and Considerations

• Emotional Sensitivity: Be mindful that conflict might be a deeply personal or triggering topic for some students. Allow space for students to opt out of sharing personal conflict scenarios if uncomfortable.
• Cultural Differences: Different families handle conflict differently; validate a range of perspectives.
• Making It Real: If students are comfortable, invite them to reflect on a conflict they’re managing in real life. Support them with real strategies to apply.

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Extension/Homework (Optional)

• Ask students to observe a minor disagreement at home (without intervening) and take notes on how it was resolved.
• Write a reflective journal entry: “How can I become better at handling conflict in my own relationships?”

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Why This Lesson is Impactful

• Small Group Personalisation: With only two students, the lesson allows for deeper conversations and personal reflections.
• Hands-on Learning: The active listening exercise gives students tools they can use immediately.
• Emotional Vocabulary Development: Teaching students how to describe emotions accurately builds long-term emotional intelligence.
• Practical Life-Skills Application: Every student faces family conflicts—this lesson provides frameworks to respond healthily.

This isn’t just a PSHE lesson—it’s a real-life toolkit for managing one of the most important aspects of growing up: relationships.